Threshold construction



Sept 6, 1938. M. s. o'F'rEDAL ET AL 2,129,3-8'1 THRESHOLD CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 1'7, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheeb 1 Patented Sept. 6, 1938 PATENT OFFICE 'ram-:Snom CONSTRUCTION Maurice S. Oftedal and Wilber Stanley Dykev man, Chicago, Ill.; said Dykeman assignor to said Oftedai Application August 17, 1935, Serial No. 36,608

2 Claims.

This invention relates.4 to weather-proof threshold construction.' More particularly, it relates toa threshold construction comprising a metal threshold member having a metal base plate underneath.

In such threshold construction, it has heretofore been customary to secure the threshold member to the sill' or flooring by means of `screws which passed through the base plate. This construction has certain ,objectionable features, since the holes in the base plate through'which the securing screws pass permit moisture to pass through these holes around the screws and into the sill or flooring underneath. If the sill or ooring underneath the base plate is of wood,

the entrance of moisture through the base plate down into the sill or flooringcauses .thewood to rot Where the screws enter the wood, so that the screws soon lose their holding power.

One ofV the objects of this invention is to provide a threshold construction comprising a metal threshold member with a metal base plate or drainage plate underneath in which the above objectionable feature is overcome.

Further objects will appear from thedescription and claims.

In the drawings, in which several embodiments of the invention are shown- Figure 1 is a disassembled view of a threshold construction and an associated sealing or spring hook member for the bottom of the door.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the threshold construction and associated sill or flooring and door; Fig. 3v is a vertical transverse section showing another form of threshold construction with its associated sill or -fiooring and door construction; and

, Fig. 4 shows still another form of threshold or* ad I construction with associated parts.

' 50 as rolled brass, means for securing said threshold member to the flooring I2 comprising a plurality of screws I3 extending through suitable openings in a central web or leg I4 in the threshold member and screwed into the wooden ilooring 55 l2 underneath without passing through the base plate II, and a door I5, here shown as an inwardly opening door, having a hook-like sealing strip lrattached to the rabbeted bottom edge of the door in anydesired manner, as by suitable nails or screws', which may be of any suitable material, as brass or spring bronze, for snugly engaging over a lip or ilange I'l extending inwardly from the upper portion of the threshold member I Il.

This threshold member is provided with a gutter or channel portion .I8 on its inner side and with a series of drainage openings I 9 leading from this gutter or channel portion through thecentral web or leg I4 to the space above the drainage plate II. The drainage plate may be provided with an upturned ange 20 fitting in ra channel or groove 2I in the bottom of the centrai web or leg i4 to prevent moisture from draining inwardly and also to position said plate and hold it in position. The threshold member is shown as provided with an additional supporting web or leg 22 resting on the base plate II. This intermediate supporting web or leg and the outer edge of the downwardly vand outwardly sloping portion of the threshold member are provided with a series of openingsy 23 and 24 at suitable intervals at their lower edges to facilitate the drainage fromthe drainage plate to the outside of the threshold. The drainage openings of the three series I9, 23, and 24 are staggered with respect to each other to provide atortuous path to retard the passage of air therethroughV `and which will also prevent the wind from blowing moisture inwardly to the inside of the threshold construction. v35

The threshold member I0 is also provided with an outwardly extending lip or flange 25 which co-operates with the door and sealing strip vIii and gutter I8 to prevent moisture .from getting to the inside of the threshold construction. It will be seen that any lmoisture which finds its way past the outside iiangeor lip 25 andthe sealing strip I6 will be caught in the inner gutter IB and drained through the openings I9 into the space above the drainage plate, from whence it will be drained off through the drainage openings .23 and 24 to the outer edge of the drainage plate. The screws I3, of course, when driven home, prevent moisture `from passing through their holes, and, with this construction and arrangement of the threshold and associated parts, as will be seenl the objectionable features referred to ab'ove in prior types of construction are overcome, since the securing members do not pass, through the base plate, and, hence, no moisture fil can leak through the base plate to cause the wood underneath to rot around the ends of the screws.

The construction of Fig. 3 vis quite similar to that justdescribed, except that here the intermediate supporting web and the outwardly extending lip or flange are omitted and a gutter or channel construction 30 is provided underneath the lower edge of the door 3I, from which a series of drainage openings 32 lead to the space above the drainage plate II. Also, a somewhat different form of seal is provided between the under the door will'be largely caught in the channel and drip and run down through the holes 32 onto the base plate II. If any water passes inwardly beyond spring strip 33, it is caught by hook strip 34 and guided into the gutter I8 and passes thence ythrough the holes I9 in leg I4 onto plate II and out through the series of holes 2l in the front edge of the threshold. As before, these holes are preferably staggered and those in the leg I4 are between the securing screw holes. Here again the securing screws I3 for the threshold pass down through the leg I l to the rear or inwardly of the inner upturned edge of the drainage base plate II, and not throughit, so that water on the plate will not get down into the wood sill or ooring through the holes through which the securing screws I3 pass.

The construction of Fig. 4 is quite similar to that of Figs. 1 and 2, except that here two spaced supporting ribs or legs are provided between which the securing screws pass, and drainage tubes 31, which may be of any suitable material, as brass, are provided leading from the inner gutter I8 to the space above the drainage plate II. Here, also, the base or drainage plate is not punctured by or for the passage of the securing screws I3, and moisture is prevented from getting into and rotting the wood sill or flooring.

The threshold members are, of course, of suflicient length to extend and t between the side members of the door frame, and to prevent the escape of moisture at the ends 0i' the base plate the plate itself may be turned up as shown at 2U at the ends, and the space between the threshold member and the base plate at their ends may also be-lled with a suitable waterproof calking compound to close and seal lsuch space ends against leakage. The thresholds are longitudinally grooved on top beneath the door to provide a somewhat roughened or more or less corrugated surface to afford a good foothold and prevent slippage, and the-larger groove 30 of the form of Fig. 3 also takes care of any water or moisture running down the sides of the door frame onto the threshold. While an in-swinging door has been shown in Figs. 2 and 4, it will be understood that the thresholds provided with the lip or flange 25 are equally adapted and intended for use with out-swinging doors, which in such case may be rabbeted from the opposite edge at the bottom and a spring hook member IE reversed in position from that shown and secured to the bottom of the door, with its hook co-operating with the lip 25 of the threshold instead of the lip I 1. Such thresholds are, of course, capable of being made in different sizes, and they usually are made in sizes varying 1/2 inch in wi'dth from 2 inches for the narrowest to 6 inches for the widest.

While several forms of the invention have been shown in the drawings and described in the foregoing, it will be understood that other forms may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as set forth or intended to be set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A threshold construction comprising an elongated threshold member of substantially uniform cross-section, said member including an outside portion sloping downwardly and outwardly and a gutter on the inside portion of the threshold, a supporting leg on the underside of said member between the gutter and sloping portion, a drainage plate extending outwardly from said supporting legand underneath said sloping f portion, drainage openings from the gutter to the space beneath the sloping portion and above the drainage plate, and threshold securing means passing between said gutter and said drainage plate.

2. A weather-proof construction comprising an elongated threshold member of substantially uniform cross-section having a substantially T- shaped central portion, the top of said T-shaped portion being in substantial alignment with the bottom edge of the door, said threshold having an outwardly and downwardly sloping portion extending from under the head of said T, a gutter forming member extending inwardly from under the head of `said T, a drainage plate underneath said outwardly and downwardly sloping portion, a means for conducting water from said gutter to said drainage plate through said T, and means for securing said threshold member tothe flooring beneath including a securing member extending through said T-shaped portion into the flooring beneath said securing member passing between said outwardly and downwardly sloping portion and said gutter but not passing through said drainage plate..

MAURICE S. OFIEDAL. .WILBER STANLEY DYKEMAN. 

